Container



Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Erle J. Byerlein, Wauwatosa, Wis.

Applicatio'l October 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,816 i c1ims-- 01, 22a-67) 'Ihis invention relates to improvements in containers and the method of forming the same. A general object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and strong container of the type used for beer and like beverages, and also to provide a simple, inexpensive, and highly efficient commercial method of constructing the containers.

Barrels used for beer and like beverages have their body portions closed by a pair of heads secured in opposite ends of the body portion, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a barrel of this type wherein the end heads may be tightly wedged into closing positions and held in position by cementitious sealing material which not only serves to secure the heads in position, but also provides leakproof joints between the heads and the barrel body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barrel of the character described in which the body portion can be formed in cylindrical shape without seams.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barrel of the character described which can be formed of either metal or compressed fibrous material and in which the body portion and the heads can be formed in molds or by spinning the material onto forms.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid container which is relatively light and inexpensive, but which is strong and will withstand hard usage and internal pressure.

. A further object of the invention is to pro- 35 vide an improved and expeditious method of forming barrels wherein the barrel body may be molded or spun to form and the end heads may be easily inserted in closing position and so secured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container and method of forming the same which is simple, expeditious, inexpensive, and well adapted for the purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved container and method of forming the same, and its parts, steps and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

50 In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved container shown with one head in place and the other head being moved to position, and prior to the introduction `of the head` securing and sealing medium; 4 y

Fig. 2 is an end viewo the"comp1eted container; p,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional line 3-3 of Fig. 2; u

Fig. 4 is an nd view with the container turned through an arc of ninety degrees with respect to the showing in Fig. 2; A

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of modified form of container;'

Fig. 6 is an end view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 5.

Referring rst to the form of the invention illustrated by Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the numeral- 10 indicates the body of the container or barrel, which, at its mid-portion is of circular form. in cross-section and of maximum circumference, and tapers toward the end portions. The portions toward the ends also vary in shape from circular cross-section to elliptical form, as indicated by the numeral 11.

The barrel may be formed of any suitable material, preferably compressed fibrous material, or metal, and a mold of the proper size and form is provided into which the material is poured or disposed. In the case of fiber, the material is fed into the mold under pressure and is packed and compressed therein. l The body portion 10, when taken from the mold, is shaped as shown and described and is entirely seamless. Both ends of the body are, however, Vopen and are adapted to be closed by end heads 12 and 13 which are also formed in molds and of the same material as the body portion. ,One of the heads, as head 13, has a bung opening 14 therein, and a similar opening 15 may be provided in the body portion. Within the contemplation of the invention it is also possible to form the body by spinning. In this case the material could be spun onto a collapsiblecore.

The contour of the interior of the barrel is the same as that of the exterior so that the in.- terior is of gradually decreasing cross-section and is elliptical at the end portions. The heads 12 and 13 are of elliptical form and are of outwardly decreasing circumference.

In forming the improved barrel, as previously mentioned, the body 10 is molded or shaped as 50 a seamlessunit, and the heads 12 and 13 are likewise formed in molds or by other similar suitable means. The head 12 is inserted into the barrel through the elliptical end thereof and is rst positioned inwardly of its ultimate 55 View takn on 5 Cil closing position. Then, through an instrument inserted through the opposite end of the barrel, said head is hammered into proper position, there being a force fit between the tapered' side portions of the head andthe inner wall portion of the barrel. When the head is properly located an annular groove 16 in the head registers with an annular groove. 17 formed in the inner wall of the end portion of the barrel, as shown in Fig. 1. v

The next step is the location of the other head 13. This head is inserted into the barrel through the other end and inwardly thereof. A pulling instrument 18 is then engaged with the head through the bung opening 14, and then said head is straightened and alined with the elliptical barrel end and is pulled outwardly to wedge it into position and to cause its annular recess 19 to register with the inner wall annular recess 20. The next step is the sealing of the.

heads 12 and 13. First the barrel is set on end so that the head 12 is uppermost. Out-wardly extending channels 21 kand 22 communicate with the recesses 16 and 17 and cementitious material is poured into one of these channels, the other being for the purpose of expelling air. The cementitious material, designated 23 in Fig. 3, lls the recesses 16 and 17 and channels 21 and 22 and is allowed to harden. This material, when hardened, not only forms a strong bond or key between the head and barrel, but also provides a leak-proof joint. Similarly cementitious material is poured into the grooves 19 and 20 for the head 13 and forms an annular key or bond 24.

The interior of the barrel, may of course, be coated with pitch and if it is deemed desirable the body may be reinforced by external bands or wires. The barrel will be relatively light but may be subjected to the ordinary usage and will withstand abuse. The barrel may be manufactured on a commercial scale very economically and expeditiously and no difficult manufacturing problems are involved. The bung openings 14 and 15 are closed by bungs in the usual manner after the barrel is filled.

A modification of the invention is disclosed in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The body 10' is formed in two complementary sections meeting at their enlarged ends or at the mid-portion of the body, the meeting ends of the body sections being connected together by annular tongue and groove joints 25. The overlapping tongue portions of the two sections are arranged so that there is an annular recess 26 therebetween which is ultimately filled with cementitious material 27. In this form of the invention the reduced outer end portions of the body 10' are of circular form, as are the end heads 12' and 13'. The heads are formed with annular groves 16' and 19 adapted to register with grooves 17 and 20' in the body end portions and to which external communication is afforded by means of ducts 21 and 22'.

In the manufacture of this form of barrel either metal or compressed fibrous material is used and each half section of the body is formed in a mold or around a form as separate units. Likewise the end heads are formed in molds. One end head is inserted into a half section of the body through the enlarged end thereof and is forced into closing position at the reduced end. The same step is taken with the other head and the other body section. Each head may next be cemented in position by the introduction of the cementitious material 23 and 24'. After this the enlarged ends of the two body sections are tted together and they are sealed in this relationship by cementitious material 27 poured into the annular cavity 26 through an externally extending communicating duct 28. The entire structure then becomes unitary with sealed connections between the parts and without the formation of a longitudinal seam in the body.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved container and method of forming the same is simple, novel, and inexpensive.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A container, comprising a hollow body portion having reduced outer ends, a head for closing each reduced end of the containerfand of outwardly decreasing circumference, a head being wedged within an outer end of the container, the adjacent body and head portions being formed with registering annular grooves, there also being exteriorly opening channels communicating with said registering annular grooves, and cementitious material filling said grooves andchannels and engaging adjacent portions of the heads and body.

2. A container, comprising a hollow body member, said body member being formed of a pair of endwise adjacent sections, the wall of a section being circumferentially integral, the adjacent inner ends of said sections having circumferentially overlapping, radially spaced, annular projections with an annular space being formed therebetween, the ends of said projections being of irregular contour, each section end portion having stepped end surfaces contacting with respective stepped end surfaces of the adjoining section, and a bonding material lling said annular space.

3. A container, comprising a hollow body member, said body member being formed of a pair of endwise adjacent sections, the wall of a section being circumferentially integral, the adjacent inner end portions of said sections having annular overlapping but spaced apart tongues, each tongue having an annular rib extending toward the tongue of the other section, the ribs being spaced from one another to provide between the tongues an annular space of irregular cross-section, and a bonding mater rial filling said annular space.

4. A container, comprising a hollow body member, said body member being formed of a pair of endwise adjacent sections, the wall of a section being circumferentially integral, the adjacent inner end portion of each section having an annular projection provided with an inwardly extending annular ridge projecting therefrom, the projection of one section extending toward the projection of the adjacent section but spaced therefrom to provide an annular recess, end surface portions of each section being formed with annular grooves for receiving the annular ridges, and a bonding material lling said annular space.

ERLE J. BYERLEIN. 

